In the Passenger Seat
by particularly good finder
Summary: Kurt finds himself reluctantly driving Finn home after a party, and realizes it is just what he needs.


**Just a little something, something I wrote 'cause I'm in desperate need of Kinn/Furt right now. Plus, Calculus is boring. Please review!**

* * *

_i roll the window down_  
**and then begin to breathe in**

:-:

"Thanks for picking me up, Kurt," Finn said, stumbling slightly as he climbed into the car. "There wasn't any room in Mike's car and I didn't want to ride with Azimio."

Kurt nodded sleepily, and it amused Finn to see that his stepbrother was decked out in wrinkled pajamas and…Finn's Bieber hoodie?

"You're lucky our parents are gone for the weekend. If you came home drunk-"

"I'm not _drunk_," he protested, sighing in the warmth of the cabin. "I'm just…relaxed."

Kurt smirked, driving down the wooded road. "Sure."

Finn chuckled, propping his feet on the dashboard, ignoring Kurt's protests. "What you _should_ be saying is that I'm lucky that Blaine canceled your date tonight."

Even in the dark Finn could see a blush creep across Kurt's face. "It wasn't a date. It was a gathering of friends."

Finn scoffed. "Yeah. Two friends. Who want to screw each other's brains out."

Kurt stared ahead determinedly, an embarrassed, annoyed look on his face. "Like you and Quinn?"

Finn's smirk fell. "Low blow, man. Low blow."

The smaller boy shrugged. "All I know is that courting Quinn was a pretty hypocritical thing for you to do. And it wasn't fair to Sam."

Finn shifted awkwardly, looking out the window at the passing trees. "Whatever. Didn't you refuse to speak to Blaine for a week because he went out with Rachel? News flash: you did the same Brittany last year, Mr. High-and-Mighty."

Kurt looked like he might cry. "Yeah, well, no one was openly in love with me at that point."

Finn turned his head to rest his cheek on the seat back. "You love him?"

:-:

_the darkest country road_  
**and the strong scent of evergreen**

:-:

An embarrassed silence settled between them. Kurt nodded slowly, staring at the darkened road ahead. "Yeah…I do."

"Are you sure?" The question surprised Kurt.

"Of course!" He exclaimed. "Blaine is just…perfect."

"And it's not just because he's gay?" Finn asked. "I mean…it's not just because you're lonely?"

His voice was so genuine that Kurt's heart softened a little. "Yeah…I really am in love with him."

"And he's not interested?" Finn's voice was sad.

Kurt turned, slowing down as a fox dashed across the road. "I don't know anymore," he muttered, sighing in defeat. "There was a point where I thought that maybe…" He trailed off, biting his lip. "But then there was Jeremiah and Rachel and I just don't know…"

Finn nodded in understanding, staring out at the road. After a moment, he said, "That's how it is for me, too, you know. With Quinn."

"I just don't get what you see in her," Kurt muttered, making another turn. "She cheated on you and lied about her pregnancy. I love Quinn, I do, but how could you ever forgive her enough to date her again? I mean – _shit!_"

Kurt hit the brakes, skidding to a stop in front of a fallen tree in the middle of the way.

"Dammit…" He muttered, running a hand through his messy, post-sleep hair. "This isn't the way I came."

Finn rolled down the window. "So…we're lost?"

Kurt slumped against the steering wheel, groaning. "Dammit…"

"Janet," Finn added, grinning. Kurt looked up, amused.

"_I love you!_" They finished the song in unison, laughing. Kurt sighed, visibly less upset, and backed the car up. Finn stuck his arm out the window, relishing the cool country air.

"I'm just lonely, I guess," Finn murmured, sadly. "I miss Rachel, but she really doesn't care about me. Santana's out of the question. Brittany thinks I'm actually Frankenstein's monster. And Quinn is just…she's like an angel or something…"

Kurt pulled the car into a three-point-turn, going back the way he came. "You know, you don't _have_ to date a cheerleader. Or Rachel. There are other girls available."

"But Tina's dating Mike-"

"How's that different from Quinn dating Sam? You still tried to steal her away."

Finn chose to ignore the question. "And Lauren is just…terrifying."

There was a silence, and then:

"What about Mercedes?"

:-:

_then looking upwards__I strain my eyes and try  
_**to tell the difference between shooting stars and satellites**

:-:

Finn's head whipped around. "What about her?"

Kurt sighed in frustration. "You and Mercedes get along well, don't you? You're friends. You're obviously attracted to divas. She's the most beautiful girl I know. And she's _single_. Why not Mercedes?"

Finn's mind was visibly whirring with thought. "I guess…I guess I just never thought about her before. You know, I always pair people off in glee club, usually by couples. So I always pair Mercedes with you, so I guess…in my mind…you two are dating."

Kurt burst into laughter. "Finn, I'm not even in New Directions anymore!"

The taller boy shrugged. "Yeah, I know…but it still feels like you are."

Kurt grinned, blushing a little. "Thanks, Finn."

"We miss you," Finn said, leaning his seat back a little. "_I_ miss you. Sort of."

The smaller boy chuckled, but when Finn looked over, there were tears shining in Kurt's eyes.

"Dude, I _do_ miss you! But we live together, so I don't miss you _that_ much…please stop crying…"

Kurt shook his head, giving another little laugh. "I just…I miss you all so much."

Finn smiled sadly, clapping his brother on the shoulder. "I just wish…I wish I could make McKinley safe for you. I wish I could just…get rid of all the hate, you know?"

Kurt sniffled, leaning into the touch. "Finn, listen to yourself. You've come so far in a year."

"I think we established that when I sang a pseudo-romantic song to you at our parents' wedding. And made you dance with me."

They both laughed. "Finn Hudson knows how to properly use pseudo-romantic in a sentence? You really _have_ changed."

Finn sighed, actually looking a bit hurt. "I'm not stupid."

He looked over to see a kind-faced Kurt smiling fondly at him. "I know. You're not stupid at all. And don't believe anyone when they tell you that."

A comfortable silence filled the car, and Finn stuck his head out the window, inhaling the crisp night air. Kurt rolled back the sunroof, letting the bright moonlight illuminate the cabin.

A shooting star passed over their heads, disappearing below the horizon. Finn pointed up at it, smiling in child-like wonder.

"Look! Make a wish!" He exclaimed, voice breathy with excitement. Then, as adorably as possibly, he scrunched up his face in concentration, thinking of his wish.

:-:

_"do they collide?"_  
**i ask and you smile.**

:-:

Kurt bit his lip, holding back a giggle. Finn was so innocent sometimes; it was endearing.

"Did you make a wish?" Finn asked, the excited puppy-dog look lighting up his face.

Kurt ran a hand through his brother's hair lovingly, and said, "Nope."

Finn looked horribly confused. "Wait, why not?"

The smaller boy smiled, turning back onto a familiar street. "Because I already got my wish. After my mom died, every time I saw a shooting star, I would wish to have a family again. To make Dad happy, to make _me_ happy. It's been nine years, and my wish has been granted. I have you and Carole. And I couldn't ask for anything better."

Finn looked at his brother lovingly, heart warming. "You wanna know what my wish is?" He asked, biting his lip.

Kurt chuckled. "Doesn't telling your wish make it not come true?"

The taller boy looked concerned for a moment, then shook his head. "No…I think if the wish is about someone, it's okay to tell _them_."

Kurt blushed a little. "What did you wish for, then?"

"I wished that you would be happy."

:-:

_with my feet on the dash__  
_**the world doesn't matter**

:-:

"Finn…"

"I'm serious. You're never happy anymore. Dalton is sucking your soul out. Blaine is an idiot. And Karofsky…well, whatever he did to you that you're obviously hiding from us…it must've been _bad_. And it still haunts you. You scream in your sleep, you know that?"

Kurt gaped, taken aback. "Finn, I don't think-"

"And it's not, like, _good_ screaming. I can tell the difference. It's like when you and Mercedes gossip on the phone or if you were having a wet dream about Blaine-"

"_Finn!_" Kurt shrieked. "I've never-! I don't-! _Just because I'm feminine doesn't mean I'm a screamer_."

Finn half-smiled. "Yeah, but you are a very loud person. It just seems fitting. And no, you've never had a wet dream that _I've_ heard. But I'm being serious." The smile faded. "You're safe, I guess, but you're not happy. So then Burt isn't happy. Which means Mom isn't happy. And that makes me sad. Our happy little family, finally together – and it's unhappy. So I wished for you to be happy again."

They had reached the Hudson-Hummel house, so Kurt pulled over and ran out of the car. Before Finn knew what was happening, his door was opened and he was pulled outside, into a big hug. He stood rigid for a moment, shocked, until he realized that it was just Kurt. He hugged back, nestling his face into the boy's soft hair. He inhaled deeply, taking in the unique scent of rosemary mint shampoo and residue hairspray. Pulling back, Kurt kissed Finn chastely on the cheek, grinning like an idiot.

"Behind the stupidly selfish front you put up, Finn, is an incredibly sweet, amazing boy. Never lose that. Never change."

His smile was contagious, and Finn found himself smiling widely as he walked up the porch stairs with Kurt, arm around the boy's waist. Kurt unlocked the door, humming as he let them into the house. Finn switched on the hall light, recognizing the tune was singing, and jumped in with a harmony.

Kurt closed the door behind them, and as the brothers moved from one room to another, the happy house lit up, giving life to the new home.

:-:

_from the passenger seat  
_**as you are driving me home**

:-:


End file.
